Beyond Consent, Toward Safeguarding Human Rights : Implementing the United Nations Trafficking Protocol

The author focuses on human rights aspects of the UN Trafficking Protocol. She notes that much of the discussion regarding human trafficking of women has focused on sex work and the issue of consent. In order to better protect the human rights of trafficked persons and to formulate a series of options for trafficking legislation that are not encumbered by the shortcomings of myopic attention to consent, she argues that the discussion should be broadened to consider other economic and social factors. After an analysis of both sides of the consent debate, she proposes an alternative trafficking definition that centers on illicit transport or harbouring of a person for unregulated or improperly regulated forms of labour.